As the second term of the Standing Committee of the Convocation begins, Chairman Sean Lin looks back over the first term and reveals the plans for the next two years.

Sean Lin began his second term of office as Convocation Chairman in April. As he looks ahead to the coming year, he says that the Convocation's theme will be "strengthening bonds". "We will be focusing on tightening bonds between the University and alumni, in particular, as well as between the University and the general public," says Sean, who was the Founding Chairman of the Convocation, established in 2011.

The nine-person Standing Committee of last term (2011-2013) hammered out a strategy that included the formation of three sub-committees to better exert its role, covering the key areas of University development, student affairs, and academic affairs respectively. During the two-year period, members of senior management were regularly invited to Standing Committee meetings to update the Standing Committee on issues relating to the betterment of students, such as student housing, activities of student societies, student suicide cases, and the new four-point scoring scheme.

As chairman over the past two years, Sean has represented the Convocation in a variety of ways. He sits on the Council as a representative of alumni, has taken part in important University occasions such as the Congregations and reunions, and sits on University committees including the Campus Development Committee.

The 2013 AGM saw an election for the nine seats on the Standing Committee for the first time, unlike the first session when they were automatically filled. This is a good sign that the Convocation is attracting interest.

Looking to the coming two years, Sean and the new team are working on a strategy to tighten communication between alumni and their alma mater. "Our key strategy is to strengthen our ties with the University in a visible, audible and touchable way," he says. "That involves the setting up of high-visibility, ideas-exchange platforms, making sure every single voice is heard by the University, and providing opportunity to let alumni and University get in touch with each other."